re: Mark Richt

UGA beat LSU soundly. That game was over mid way through the 3rd quarter.

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Hopefully you are fine with 'close but no cigar' because that is all you will ever have.

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I'm astounded at your clairvoyance...

You may not have uttered any inaccuracy, but I don't think you're being academically honest with your argument either.

By your own admission, Coach Richt is a solid top 10 coach. There are 120 D 1-A programs in this country, meaning you believe that Mark Richt represents better than the top 10% of his class. How, pray tell, does that not qualify as an "elite" coach?

Is it consistency? If so, Coach Richt has an 80% (rough) winning percentage, and has led this team to 10 wins in something like 7 of the last 8 seasons he's been there. He's got a 5-2 bowl record including 2 Sugar Bowl wins, and has 2 SEC titles. Not elite? Seriously?

I'll also just point out that you're very dismissive of UGA while forgiving of LSU.

Example: (paraphrased) If it weren't for Pick 6 Lee, we would have beaten UGA, but UGA injuries somehow highlight UGA's poor coaching ability. It's an inconsistent argument.

I'll close with this: it takes a lot of luck to win a national championship. LSU needed luck last year, Florida needed luck in 2006, and USC backed into half a championship in 2003 because of luck. UGA may not have met expectations this year, but they are still a good football team with an excellent shot at finishing in the Top 10.

If you want to take umbrage at that point, and claim that UGA is overrated because they should have gone wire to wire #1, nothing I can say will change your mind. However, I think you're taking a very shortsighted view of Richt and UGA if you think that this team is overrated and not one of the top teams in the nation.

If by injuries to key guys, you mean 18 season ending injuries. That is not even including the fact that we have at least one OL playing dang near crippled, the top two TEs playing even though one needs surgery and the other can barely hobble, the starting middle LBer that missed 3-4 games , but is obviously still not close to 100% when he did make it back, the starting FB missing the first half of the season. Oh, and only one DE actually made it through fall camp without wearing green.

I actually agree with you that this has not been Richt's finest coaching years, but Saban and Meyer would also have had a hell of a time putting together a better season. As a matter of fact they both have had worse seasons in the past with better recruiting classes and less injuries. This team simply has not come together like most of GA teams. Sometimes the gelling just doesn't happen.

However, fine, if you want to use the MNC as the end all and be all of an elite coach's definition, then do so, but just remember it took both Bowden and Paterno over a decade to get their first, and that was when you only have to go undefeated to have a good shot at a split championship. However, you might not call them elite coaches either.

Agreed (obviously)

More impressive though is Meyer. I was definitely one of those who thought his spread O wouldn't really work in this conference. Last year was the start of the decline in my mind, but he has made it work.

i agree m2pro. As uga fans we thought it was all great, but you've pointed out the double-edged nature of those kinds of antics.

I Think Richt is a good Coach..Not a Great Coach.

Two really stupid things he's done to rile his opponents (1) "Black out Game" Where our guys knocked him out. (2) "The Gator Stomp" in '07. Any Coach who allows and promotes taunting opponents is plain stupid. All you do is rile your opponent and usually get your butt kicked.

Remember several years ago when Miami came to play Fl. State? They Danced on Florida States Logo Before The Game..And A Mediocre Fl State team danced all over them

I Gaurantee you I never have seen Urban Meyer or Nick Saban promote this behavior. Richt hopefully has learned not to taunt his opponents. Leave that for fans and bloggers.

certainly just the blackout/pile up things weren't enough to make the entire team mentality lacking discipline. i think they are likely just indicators on what sorts of verbal techniques he uses. i mean, sometimes you just recruit a bad batch of kids that you get fairly stuck with. you have to WORK with them and make them understand how and why discipline and good work ethics are favorable. some groups of kids (i mean, we're talking 18 years old) are going to naturally be easier and smarter than others groups. this is what coaching is ALL about.

HC at the college level takes a father style relationship. This is why Saban has been so effective. You have to say what you believe ALL the time. No compromise.

Richt is extremely tough to read. I find it hard to believe that he doesn't have the boys' respect...and then at times it seems obvious he doesn't have enough.

Any UGA fans real close to the system have any insight as to how he coaches? Is he more hard-nosed? Does he do more of the "I'm just one of the guys," approach? Or is his whole thing about teaching faith, etc etc?

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I Gaurantee you I never have seen Urban Meyer or Nick Saban promote this behavior.

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Saban, definitely not. He would go absolutely blow-a-gasket apesh*t if his players acted like they play for, say Florida.

Meyer: 2007, players stomping the eye at midfield during pregame in Tiger Stadium...

Richt is a good coach but not elite. But then again, in my mind there are only about four coaches that I would consider elite in all of college football. Elite coaches have to have a combination of recruiting ability, motivational skills, game planning, and Xs and Os. Those four are Saban, Meyer, Stoops, and Carroll.

Richt's biggest problem is he seems to have a problem motivating his team without the use of gimmicks. There's a reason he continues to lose in the Cocktail Party year after year despite having the better talent in several of those years. Maybe he's too nice -- who knows. But, he's missing that certain something that makes the other coaches I've listed elite.

it's the showboating, "i'm the best," "look at me," bling bling bs mentality that you have to stomp out. they may for the most part be good kids... but um, that attitude MUST be erased from our society. it's the most selfish, NON-team mindset a person can get into. they need to re-align where their treasures are. there is no "i" in team sorta thing.